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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Day 12 Winner is MAREN C. from OK!!! Maren, hope you have a place for this Charcoal lusterware vase!!! If not, I think there are several ladies who commented and posted and pinned and shared would love it as a gift!!! Thank you everyone!!! Glad that you liked this find!

Day 12! My last day of Christmas gifts to give away.
Modern Charcoal Gray Lusterware Ceramic Vase

This modern spin on Lusterware is in a gorgeous charcoal gray and the shape of the vessel is a take on bamboo.

Look at the give away vase above: Do you see the shape of bamboo a little bit?

Bamboo Vase

Do you see the Lusterware influence in the glaze?

Jonathan Adler "Lantern Vase"
YES, PLEASE!

The Look:

Lusterware is anything ceramic or porcelain with a metallic glaze that gives the look of iridescence, which happens in a second or third firing in a lower temperature kiln. This iridescence give each piece a pearlized look. This firing technique can be traced back to 3rd Century AD...but most people associate Lusterware with the Italian, Spanish and later, the English varieties from the 16th Century until the mid 1900's. American style Lusterware took off with Tiffany & Co., Weller, Rookwood and Roseville pottery pieces among others. Their artisans launched an Aesthetic Art Pottery movement. Luster is prevalent in Arts and Crafts and Art Deco pottery. (This Art Pottery Category is a real category of its own, to see more click here or or check out this currated collection of links on Pinterest for a good idea of this style).

I washed and dried and washed and dried Lusterware throughout my days working for my father and my Grams at their Auction Gallery when I was a teen. There always seemed to be some set of Lusterware in just about every auction. Typically, it was the "Grandma's Attic", Pink English toile or floral variety (which is a sought after collectible item, btw). But I remember once, there was a pale gray, Tiffany & Co. Lusterware vase that I had to wash. I fell in love with it (I was probably about 15) and I asked my Gram if I would have enough money from the amount I was earning for the week, to buy it at Auction. Grams let out a hardy laugh and said, "Not on your life, kid". And she was right. It is HIGHLY collectible and these Tiffany pieces are regarded as an investment.

So, pretty much any piece of ceramic or porcelain, which has the "luster" glaze is within the
LUSTERWARE family.

Katie Elliott
Early 19th Century Pink Luster Jug, picture a Jane Austin heroine pouring water from this jug to wash away her tears!

Now, who wants to have a sassy Lusterware vase of their own? I picture this on a fresh white mantle or bookshelf. (I would have taken a pic of it on MY mantle, but mine is all dolled up for Christmas!).

THAT WOULD BE FANATSTIC, DAVE~!~~ Obviously, this is a brief synopsis of lusterware, but I will be doing some sort of 'Antique 101' posts like this in the future! I'd love to be able to use One of a Kind links and resources from the site! THANKS SO MUCH! Have a good one. Walk around Chester Center for me today ;)